export pdfs

richard p
From what I can find in searching documentation, Zot does not allow exporting of pdfs. Is this still the case? If so, then perhaps this could be moved to the "Feature requests". Thanks
  • adamsmith
    I'm not sure what "export" means in this context but you can
    a) drag individual pdfs or groups of pdfs to the file system and
    b) set up a saved search in your operating system for PDFs in the Zotero storage folder to get all of the PDFs in Zotero at once.

    Does neither do what you need? I'm not sold on the idea to call something "export" in Zotero that just throws out PDFs, as all other exports include metadata.
  • richard p
    Thanks for rapid reply. OK - it's my idiosyncratic way of working, but let's say I have 100 old pdfs on my HD that I drag INTO Zot. I click on "Retrieve Metadata for PDF" & 50 odd are "read" (not to mention good old google still playing silly buggers). So i now have 50 all properly referenced in Zot & available for bibliography / referencing etc in word, plus I then export these linked pdfs to an external folder using Zotfile. Great. But i then have the remaining 50 which I can 1) create "parent item" & rename manually, or 2) re-export these files & try eg Mendeley (where about 70% are read & relevant metadata stored). I then reimport these files into Zot. Not ideal, but an attractive option when actuak number of "unread" files in Zot is >> 1000. (& I delete the original pdf's once imported into Zot - probably I shouldn't).

    So your suggested "option a)" works 1 file at a time. I am not sure what you mean under "option b)" As for "Feature request" - it is simply asking for this option. But actually as I type - I am thinking - OK - just highlight & export using Zotfile?(Manage attachments -> send to tablet). Thanks, R
  • adamsmith
    Yeah, send to tablet seems ideal for that. I'd use that.
  • richard p
    Thanks R
  • richard p
    I could start a new discussion, but this continues from yesterday, altho the Q is "How do I import my Mendeley data AND associated pdfs back into Zot?" . I have read the various threads that fall under this query - effectively 1) Select All in Mend; 2) Export ; 3) in Zot, import. I have tried both the *.bib & the *.ris formats. BOTH (on test files) give me links to pdfs, but not the pdfs as daughter files. Can I actually do this? Thanks R
  • adamsmith
    RIS should definitely work Can you post a sample RIS (open with a text editor, post from TY - to ER - ) as exported from Mendeley here?
  • richard p
    Thanks - copied below is one I did earlier (5 records - parent data transferred, but only link data EXCEPTING the last (Neufeldt)which for some strange reason, showed pdf insread of link, but then after closing Zot & reopening, just showed link. Note too - on reopening, only links shown (no sign of pdf as daughter file??). One last point, the pdfs remain in the correct Mend folder. Cheers
    TY - JOUR
    T1 - Maize production challenges in high biomass input smallholder farmer conservation agriculture systems : A practical research experience from South Africa
    A1 - Chiduza, Cornelius
    A1 - Dube, Ernest
    Y1 - 2013///
    JF - rican Crop Science Conference Proceedings
    VL - 11
    IS - February 2016
    SP - 23
    EP - 27
    L1 - file:///C:/Users/Richard/Documents/Mendeley Desktop/Chiduza, Dube_2013_Maize production challenges in high biomass input smallholder farmer conservation agriculture systems A practical re.pdf
    ER -
    TY - JOUR
    T1 - Climate-smart livestock sector development: the state of play in NAMA development
    A1 - Dijk, Suzanne Van
    A1 - Tennigkeit, Timm
    A1 - Wilkes, Andreas
    Y1 - 2015///
    IS - 105
    UR - www.ccafs.cgiar.org
    L1 - file:///C:/Users/Richard/Documents/Mendeley Desktop/Dijk, Tennigkeit, Wilkes_2015_Climate-smart livestock sector development the state of play in NAMA development.pdf
    ER -
    TY - JOUR
    T1 - Productivity Impact of Conservative Farming on Smallholder Cotton Farms in Zambia
    A1 - Haggblade S., Kabwe S., Plerhoples C
    Y1 - 2010///
    VL - 42
    IS - 42
    SP - 1
    EP - 4
    L1 - file:///C:/Users/Richard/Documents/Mendeley Desktop/Haggblade S., Kabwe S._2010_Productivity Impact of Conservative Farming on Smallholder Cotton Farms in Zambia.pdf
    ER -
    TY - JOUR
    T1 - The coordination of climate finance in Indonesia
    A1 - Halimanjaya, Aidy
    A1 - Maulidia, Martha
    Y1 - 2014///
    IS - December
    L1 - file:///C:/Users/Richard/Documents/Mendeley Desktop/Halimanjaya, Maulidia_2014_The coordination of climate finance in Indonesia.pdf
    ER -
    TY - JOUR
    T1 - Scaling up climate-smart dairy practices in Kenya through Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions
    A1 - Neufeldt, Henry
    Y1 - 2015///
    IS - August
    L1 - file:///C:/Users/Richard/Documents/Mendeley Desktop/Neufeldt_2015_Scaling up climate-smart dairy practices in Kenya through Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions.pdf
    ER -
  • adamsmith
    Can you
    a) check that the file still opens from Zotero
    b) if so, check where the file is that gets opened (use right-click --> "Show File")
    c) let us know if you have anything under "Custom Location" in the ZotFile preferences
  • richard p
    Hi:
    1) Yes - pdfs still open BOTH from pdf daughter (for Neufeldt - it has re-appeared again!!?) & from links
    2) The files (pdfs) are in my Zotero Storage folder (the Neufeldt in its randomly allocated sub-folder (C:\Zot_References\Storage\garbage\*.pdf) & the others simply "loose" in storage (C:\Zot_References\Storage\*.pdf)
    3) Yes - as modified by me: C:\Zot_References\Storage (Note too - in Zotfile - general settings, the 1st box (source folder for attaching new files) is custom C:\Zot_References
  • adamsmith
    OK, so this is working as expected. You have set ZotFile up to turn attachments into linked files in the Zot_References\Storage directory.
  • richard p
    OK - so solution is to turn off "Custom Location" for now? Not sure I understand (but embarrasing I always F up!!)
  • richard p
    PS - OK - thanks - working with "attach stored copy of file" on radio-button. What would life be like if Zot (& its friends) was all straight-forward! Cheers R
  • adamsmith
    A solution to what? I'm not sure there is a problem -- the files are linked to Zotero and you can open them. You must have specified that custom directory for a reason, no?
  • richard p
    Yes - i did. It is thro not always knowing exactly what the options do under every circumstance. I will do the export / omport thing with the pdfs that Zotero has problems interogating & 2read them" in Mend, & reimport with Zotfile location set to "attached" & then reset Zot file ro everyday custom location.

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